Now that Tu Bishvat is officially behind us, the next holiday in the calendar is Purim! This is a topsy-turvy holiday, full of farce, Game of Thrones-esque palace intrigue, and giving cute gifts to friends. There's really no holiday quite like it. I've been starting to explain it as: April Fool’s Day meets Halloween meets a community potluck. I've been digging into this holiday with fresh eyes, as part of a class I'm teaching. Through that process, I've realized that some of the ways we've...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Ok, January 2025 has not been easy, and I have a few thoughts. 🔥 First off, let's talk about the fires in LA. These fires are devastating. They will turn out to be one of the most expensive disasters in US history, with a possible $50 billion in damages, and one of the worst disasters in LA history. To top it off, the fires aren't fully out yet. Los Angeles will never really be the same. There will be years of rebuilding, recovery, and restoration. With ongoing climate change and climate...
2 months ago • 3 min read
Find this on my website here. As we approach the end of Hanukkah and 2024, I’m thinking and reflecting on the world I wish to see and the self I’d like to be. For the last several years, I’ve used the end of the year as an opportunity to reflect and redesign the life I want. I wrote about my first real attempt at this for my 32nd birthday in March 2021. I created and implemented the framework just weeks before the pandemic took over our lives. You can find that here. I’ll do it again this...
3 months ago • 2 min read
Hi there! I'm really excited to share that I've published a book! It is called A Better World is Possible: A Collection of Meditations. Here's what happened: I've been reflecting on this moment in our society that, for many, feels bleak, dark, and overwhelming. I know that I've been feeling that. These moments are exactly when we need the reminder that a better world is possible. A belief that hope and optimism are worthy of our time, that kindness and peace deserve our attention. This short...
4 months ago • 1 min read
It is hard to believe we've already arrived at the end of September and the High Holidays. And yet, here we are. That's the thing with the Holidays: they arrive whether or not we're ready, prepared, or paying attention. They sneak up, halakhically unannounced, but in every synagogue newsletter. They silently shout at us, until we lift our eyes up and, BAM, there they are. This season is tough, even in an easy year. And this has not been an easy year. I hope that you find something meaningful,...
6 months ago • 1 min read
About a week ago, we learned about the execution of the six hostages in Gaza: Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, and Ori Danino. While I didn't know any of them personally, like so many of us, their names and stories have touched every one of us. I've sat, wrestling with the heartbreak for those families, and our people as a whole, and the tremendous suffering of so many. Every few hours, against the backdrop of my eyelids, I see Rachel...
7 months ago • 1 min read